But his crime also left behind broken families and young men emotionally damaged by his abuse.

"He's become obsessive-compulsive, he's cut himself, he has attempted to commit suicide. He is severely depressed," one victim's mother said during Greenleaf's sentencing.

"It's indescribable, the conflict and dysfunction that it's reaped," said the father of another former Scout.

Greenleaf, the 55-year-old former leader of Troop 60 in New Port Richey, was convicted of four counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition and a single count of lewd and lascivious molestation in a July trial.

Three former Scouts accused him in 2007 of showing them his genitals at his home, in his car and on Scouting trips. They said he also asked them to expose themselves and "be dirty."

The Times is not naming the boys or their parents because of the nature of the crime.

Greenleaf, who worked as a pediatric nurse and was a 22-year veteran of the Boy Scouts, has maintained his innocence.

On the stand Wednesday, he asked the judge for a sentence of house arrest and community service and said he was sorry if anything he ever did or said was "taken out of character."

Assistant State Attorney James Goodnow pressed him on how his behavior could have been misinterpreted.

"You don't admit your culpability in any of this?" Goodnow asked.

"I have never admitted anything," Greenleaf replied.

"And you still don't?" Goodnow asked.

"It didn't happen," Greenleaf said.

Goodnow called him a predator in asking for the maximum 75-year sentence.

Circuit Judge Michael Andrews settled on 12 years, telling Greenleaf he must pay for the damage that resulted "at your hands." After prison, he will serve 15 years of probation and must register as a sex offender. The judge said he also took into account that Greenleaf had never been arrested before and has a family that remains supportive of him.

"My father is a great man. He always has been," said Greenleaf's 21-year-old son, Eric. "I don't believe he's ever hurt anyone."

Molly Moorhead can be reached at moorhead@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6245.